Internal combustion engine



July 5, 1938. R BOURKE 2,122,677

INTERNALv GOMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 12, 193s A 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

July 5, 1938. R. BoURKE INTERNAL' COMBUSTION ENGINE' Filed May l2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INI/ENTORT M rma ATTORNEY.

Patented July 5, 1938 PATENT OFFiCE INTERNAL ooMBUs'rIoN ENGINE Russell L. Bourke, Petaluma, Calif.

Application May 12,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines and particularly to a novel cylinder and piston assembly.

An object of my inventi-on is to providev an 5 improved piston and cylinder assembly for internal combustion engines, embodying novel means for introducing a maximum charge of fuel into the combustion chamber, and for scavenging the gases of combustion therefrom after an explosion has occurred.

Another object of my invention is to provide a highly eiiicient and improved internal combustion engine having novel means associated with the pistons and cylinders for evenly distributing the heat generated with eac-h explosion, whereby the cylinders and other parts of the engine are prevented from becoming distorted or overheated. Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, indicated in the appended claims, or obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purposes of this application I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of piston and cylinder assemblies for interna] combustion engines representative of my invention, and particularly well adapted for use with engines of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 726,321, filed May 18, 1934; it is understood however, that the particular structures herein illustrated are not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of my invention nor are they to be given any interpretation suchrasmight have theV effect of limiting the claims, short of the truek andy most comprehensive scope of Vthe invention lin the art.

In the accompanying drawings: l Fig. lj is a ,longitudinal central section of a cylinder and piston embodying the preferred form ofrmy invention; n Y v Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2 -2of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3- 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. ,4,is asectional view vtaken on` the li ne o 4-4 of Fig. 1; f Y

Fig. 5 isa longitudinal central section of a fragmentary .part Vof a cylinder embodying a modified formrof my invention;

Fig. 6 is asectional View taken on the line 0 Ei-i of Fig. 5; v

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a part of a connecting rod and the packing gland associated therewith; Y g

Fig. 8 isa sectional view Ytaken on the line 8-8ofFig.7;

Fig. 9 is an enlargedivertical sectional View taken through a part of the piston, cylinder and piston ring, Vshowing the means employed to prevent the rotation of the ring with respect to the piston;

Cil

1936, Serial No. 79,287

(Cl. 12E-74) Fig. is a sectional view taken on the line I-l of Fig. 9; and

Fig. l1 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2, showing a modiiied type of piston in top plan.

Referring to the drawings the numeral l0 designates one of several engine cylinders secured to a crank case Il by any suitable means such as bolts. The cylinder is closed at its inwardly disposed end by an end plate l2 having in its center a tubular guiding member I3 which extends inwardly into the cylinder and serves as a guide for a tubular connecting rod I4. The rod slidably extends through a bushing l5 secured within the guiding member l5, .and also through' a packing gland I6 securely held in place at,l the end of the said member by a disc i1 bolted to the latter. As illustrated in Figs. l, '7 and 8 thepacking gland i6 comprises one or more split fiber rings lGa having one or more split metal rings |611 encircling the latter. The metal rings are preferably provided .at their peripheries with grooves or peen marks, and the pressure exerted upon the fiber rings prevents the oil in the crankcase from escaping. The outer surface of the cylinder i0 has a number of cooling ns I8 projecting therefrom, and its dome shaped top end is provided with one or more spark plug openings I9.

The inside of the cylinder l!) is provided with a cylindrical liner 2f) made preferably from an exceptionally har-d metal. The liner is positioned with its lower or inwardly disposed end in hrm engagement with the topsurface of the plate i2. Mounted for reciprocating motion within the cylinder iD is a piston 2l provided preferably with a dome shaped top end which is formed with oppositely disposed spaced raised members 2id' that form an arched channel 2lb extending centrally over the top surface of the pistons top. The top end of the piston is provided centrally with an inwardly disposed tubular boss 22 to which the outwardly disposed end of the connecting rod I4 is secured, as by a two-piece wrist pin 23. The wrist pin 23 is preferably made in two pieces which are co-nnected together as by cotter pins in order that they may be conveniently placed in their properly assembled positions through certain ports in the piston. The boss 22 is provided with one or more holes 24 which for cooling purposes allows the free passage of the fuel into the tubular connecting rod. The inside of the connecting rod i4 being in communication with the area inside the piston,

provides a larger space for the incoming fuel, thereby allowing a greater amount of fuel to be drawn into the cylinder during the outward stroke of the piston. The cylinder is divided by the piston into two chambers, the inner chamber being the primary or pump chamber, and the outer chamber being a second compression and combustion chamber. The rinner end of the cylinder I is sufficiently enlarged to provide an annular chamber 25 between the cylinder wall and the liner 2t), the said chamber at its lower end being in communication with fuel intake channels 25a leading to a carburetor or other suitable fuel supply means. The liner is provided with a number of fuel inlet ports 26 which are so located that they are in an open position when the piston 2l is at its extreme outward position. rIhe inlet ports 26 are positioned so as to permit suitable charges of fuel to be readily drawn from the chamber into the primary or inner chamber of the cylinder when the piston has moved to a position whereby the said ports are open. Encircling the liner 2B at points directly above the intake ports 2t is a ring-shaped member 2l having oppositely disposed grooves or channels 21a therein which form by-passes that permit charges of fuel passing outwardly through` ports 28 in the liner 2B from the inner or primary chamber of the cylinder to be directed to ports 29 in said liner and thence into the outer or combustion chamber. When the piston 2i has reached its extreme inward position a pair of oppositely disposed outlet ports 3B in the said piston are brought into registry with the ports 28 of the liner 26, thereby allowing the compressed fuel in the cylinders inner or pump chamber to proceed into the channel 21a, of the ring shaped member 21, and thence through the ports 29 in the said liner and into the cylinders outer or combustion chamber. When the 'piston is in its extreme inwardly disposed position the top of the latter clears the ports 29 in the liner 2t, thereby allowing the free by-passing of the fuel from the inner chamber of the cylinder to the outer or combustion chamber. Extending circumferentially around the cylinder ID at points adjacent but spaced from the ring shaped member 21 is an exhaust manifold 3l which has a gas outlet port 32. The liner 20 is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports 33 which empty into the channel defined by the exhaust manifold ti. The exhaust ports 33 are so located that they are uncovered just prior to the piston 2l having reached its extreme inward position. The ends of the arched channel 2lb located at the top of the piston 2E are positioned in registry with the ports 29 of the liner 2E) when the said piston is in its extreme inward position, thereby causing the incoming fuel to be concentrated inthe area of the combustion chamber within and above the said arched channel. The spark plug openings i9 at the top of the cylinder are so positioned that the spark plugs ordinarily located therein, are directly in line with the channel 2lb, thereby bringing the compressed and concentrated fuei into close communication with the spark plugs when the explosion is to occur.

The piston 2l is provided with a number of piston rings the adjacent ends of which are provided with grooves Srta that accommodate a spring member 35, the ends of which are normally lodged in suitable notch-es provided in the wall of the said piston (Figs. 9 and 10). The spring member 35 being secured in a fixed position to the piston, and bein-g located between the ends of the piston ring 34, serves to prevent the latter from rotating with respect to the piston.

As illustrated in Fig. 1i, the piston 2l may be formed with a spherical or dome-shaped top end, in which oppositely disposed depression areas 2|' are located near its periphery. In ordinary practice the depression areas 2i form pockets in which the fuel is concentrated just prior to the explosion, and the spark pings are positioned directly above the said areas.

In the form illustrated in 5 and 6 in which the liner 20 may be eliminated, the cylinder l0 may be provided with the oppositely disposed by-pass ports 28 and 29', with the chamber. 25, with the intake ports 26 and with the exhaust ports 33. In this form the exhaust manifold 3l is not necessarily an integral part of the cylinder but may be a separate member which is suitably secured as by bolts or other means to the said cylinder. A partition member 36 separates the channel in the exhaust manifold from the by-pass channel 21a. In ordinary practice the connecting rod i4 is suitably connected to a crankshaft or other means to be actuated.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In an engine, a cylinder having fuel intake and exhaust ports in its side walls, an exhaust manifold positioned around the cylinder and the exhaust ports, the said cylinder having both of its ends closed, and a hollow piston in the cylinder having its inwardiy disposed end open, the said piston dividing the interior of the cylinder into two chambers, a pair of spaced by-pass ports positioned in the wall of the cylinder at points inwardly of the exhaust manifold but in close proximity thereto, the said by-pass ports being connected by channel means permitting the passage of fuel from one of said by-pass ports to the other, and fuel -outlet ports in the piston which are adapted to register with certain of the by-pass ports of the cylinder when the piston is in its extreme inwardly disposed position, the other of the by-pass ports being opened by the piston when it is in said position, whereby lfuel from one ofthe chambers of the cylinder may proceed through the by-pass means into the other chamber.

2. In an engine, a cylinder having its both ends closed, and provide-d with fuel intake and exhaust means, a cyiindrical liner for the cylinder having fuel intake ports and exhaust ports therein, a hollow piston in the cylinder having its inwardly disposedend open, the said piston dividing the cylinder into two chambers, a pair of spaced by-pass openings in the liner connected by channel means, a by-pass opening in the piston which is adapted to register with one of the by-pass openings in the liner when the said piston is in its extreme inward position, the other of the by-pass openings in the liner being opened when the piston is in said position, whereby fuel may proceed through the by-pass means from one of the cylinders chambers to the other, and an exhaust manifold associated with the exhaust means, the said manifold extending 

